# Quitting smoking using cigars?



## RJ-Harder (Apr 23, 2013)

So I know there have been similar threads to this, but I want to start a new one to accommodate the specific situation I'm trying to help out with.

My buddy is currently smoking cigarettes. I'm not sure how many, but definitely less than a pack a day. He (and especially his wife) wants him to quit. I've shared a couple cigars with him, and he expressed interest in switching to a casual cigar smoker like myself rather than being a regular cigarette smoker. Currently he inhales his cigars, whereas I do not. Has anybody else had any success with making the switch from a regular inhaling cigarette smoker to a casual non-inhaling cigar smoker? Do the cigars actually help with the process of giving up cigarettes...? Or is giving up cigarettes just as hard with or without the cigars?


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## Tobias Lutz (Feb 18, 2013)

I put cigars and my pipe down for about 6 months when I kicked my 15+ year cigarette habit. I needed to create separation between the two if I were ever to really enjoy the pipe/cigar hobby after the cigs were gone. Also, it was important for me to be clear with myself that I was quitting smoking because I no longer wanted to smoke, not because I had a substitution for it. I don't smoke cigarettes anymore because I don't like what they do to my body. I smoke pipes and cigars because I enjoy the past-time. The two are exclusive of one another.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

Tobias Lutz said:


> I put cigars and my pipe down for about 6 months when I kicked my 15+ year cigarette habit. I needed to create separation between the two if I were ever to really enjoy the pipe/cigar hobby after the cigs were gone. Also, it was important for me to be clear with myself that I was quitting smoking because I no longer wanted to smoke, not because I had a substitution for it. I don't smoke cigarettes anymore because I don't like what they do to my body. I smoke pipes and cigars because I enjoy the past-time. The two are exclusive of one another.


I think I am going to fall into this category as well. I am having a tough time giving up my cigarettes while still smoking my gars. I think I am going to have to just lock my humidor and give my wife the keys for a few weeks to months while I try give the cigs the boot.


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## Chrishorsley13 (Jun 15, 2013)

I use to smoke cigs for about 10 years and casually smoked cigars. Once I quit cigs (with the help of vaping) I started to enjoy cigars more. I now haven't had a cig in about 2 years but do vape still and enjoy 2 or so cigars a day. Don't even want a cigarette anymore.


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## liquidicem (May 23, 2013)

I'm sure there are plenty of people who have made the switch without a break, but I know it would have been tough for me. Especially if he already has the habit of inhaling his cigars.


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## djjuel (Sep 22, 2012)

I found cigarillos helpful for those times you used to spend smoking cigarettes. People look at you funny not quite knowing what you're smoking


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## brazil stogie (Mar 22, 2013)

I smoked cigs for 25 years, quit last November. I noticed that while I smoked cigarettes, the flavor of cigars I had tried did not come to the forefront much. After 3 months without cigarettes, I tried a cigar and it tasted much better! I do not inhale cigars at all, and it is something I enjoy greatly now.


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## RJ-Harder (Apr 23, 2013)

How about making the switch from inhaling to non-inhaling? Have any of you who have quit been able to stop inhaling?


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## AlexArkansas (Jun 8, 2013)

I made the switch 9 months ago. I think it was easier for me than for some here because I didn't smoke cigars before, so no need to create a psychological separation between the two. As for inhaling, I slowly adapted my technique naturally over a couple of months.


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## GoJohnnyGo (Nov 19, 2011)

I quit cigs for four years before getting into cigars. I couldn't imagine trying to go straight from one to the other. These are vastly different pastimes and I think that trying to substitute your way out of a cig addiction is a surefire way to fail. Like its been said already he needs to quit the cigs,give it some time and then try cigars if he's still interested.


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## Jordan23 (May 25, 2012)

I've never smoke cigarettes before. But I've given cigars to cigaratte smokers in my family, and based on that sample, it was very difficult for them to not inhale. They would puff, taste the smoke for a stretch...but soon go into a hacking cough because they inhaled again. For them that experience turned them off cigars, because they said you have to have steel lungs. I said no, you just cant inhale it.


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## RJ-Harder (Apr 23, 2013)

Jordan23 said:


> I've never smoke cigarettes before. But I've given cigars to cigaratte smokers in my family, and based on that sample, it was very difficult for them to not inhale. They would puff, taste the smoke for a stretch...but soon go into a hacking cough because they inhaled again. For them that experience turned them off cigars, because they said you have to have steel lungs. I said no, you just cant inhale it.


True that. I have paper lungs and I pay the price if I ever accidentally inhale.


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## Lrbergin (Jun 14, 2012)

Jordan23 said:


> I've never smoke cigarettes before. But I've given cigars to cigaratte smokers in my family, and based on that sample, it was very difficult for them to not inhale. They would puff, taste the smoke for a stretch...but soon go into a hacking cough because they inhaled again. For them that experience turned them off cigars, because they said you have to have steel lungs. I said no, you just cant inhale it.


I agree. Inhaling is just a natural thing to do for a cigarette smoker and it hits you like ton of bricks with a cigar.

Not a good idea to transition to cigars immediately in my opinion. He needs to kick his nicotine habit before he considers smoking cigars.


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## Chrishorsley13 (Jun 15, 2013)

I only retohale, never inhale


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## Bruck (Jan 8, 2013)

Do cigars help with the process of giving up cigarettes?
Yes, they _can_. Cigarettes addiction is powerful, as anyone who's quit knows (I quit in my 20s), but it's not just the nicotine; it's the whole habit/lifestyle/behavior/etc. If you can break that up, and cigars are one way to do it, you can break the whole addiction/behavior pattern piece by piece.
The other thing to keep in mind is, if your friend fails at quitting cigarettes, tell him to keep trying - you get stronger each time you try to quit and eventually you win.


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## TerFox (May 17, 2013)

I know I quit chewing when I starting having a nice maduro each day at work rather than dipping.


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## Emwonay762 (Jun 21, 2013)

I Was pretty happy to see this thread here. I've been smoking for years now. I picked up cigars after realizing that I have enjoyed all other forms of tobacco but never cigars. (chew, hookah, pipe, nasal snuff). I enjoyed cigars more than anything else. I ABSOLUTELY desire to be a cigar smoker exclusivley. But ciggarettes are very hard to put down. 

One thing I've noticed is that I really start to enjoy the cigars I smoke when they are almost finished
When the flavors are most intense. Obviously cigarettes have an affect on taste. So I'm looking forward to being done with them so that I can fully enjoy cigars in a way I couldn't otherwise.

I think I'm going to try that vaping as was mentioned by someone else here as having worked. Anyone else have success with vaping?

Also, If I really enjoy how the cigars I have smoked end (not necessarily harsh, although that's not a problem, but full flavored) what would be a good cigar I might want to pick up when I go to the cigar shop next weekend?


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## Benthe8track (May 21, 2013)

After smoking butts off and on I always found that I would slide back after cheating with a cigarello. Like others in this thread I had to step away compleatly before I could just enjoy cigars.


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## arcanealso (Jun 30, 2013)

This makes sense to me. I was a pack and a half a day on Camels for the longest time. When I went on vacation, I decided that the cigarette breaks I took from life around me were unnecessary. On top of that, I was on an island where cigarettes were $11/pack. I was on vacation for a 5 more nights, so I bought three packs and five RyJ 1875 Churchills. I allowed myself to smoke to my hearts content, but knowing that those were my last cigarettes. I burned through the first pack on day one and had a cigar that night. I smoked most of the second pack on day two. Had a stick that night, really enjoyed it slowly and thoroughly. I started to lose my cravings for cigarettes on day three. I threw out half a pack on day four and waited for my evening ritual. 

I guess if you use cigarettes as a way to unwind throughout the day, the notion of having a great unwind at the end, but only if you're patient... can make a lot of sense.


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## Lifting and Smoking (Jul 5, 2013)

arcanealso said:


> I guess if you use cigarettes as a way to unwind throughout the day, the notion of having a great unwind at the end, but only if you're patient... can make a lot of sense.


I like this line of thinking. I'm in the process of completely quitting cigarettes and I plan on doing so by replacing the cigarettes with cigarillos and eventually weening off altogether tobacco during the regular workweek day so I can really have a "great unwind" in the evening with a nice cigar.


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## Sabre One (Jul 3, 2013)

Benthe8track said:


> After smoking butts off and on I always found that I would slide back after cheating with a cigarello. Like others in this thread I had to step away compleatly before I could just enjoy cigars.


Ditto here. When I first quit smoking in the past, anything that burned was a path back to cigarettes. I eventually quit everything (cigarettes, cigars, pipe, etc.) for about three or four years before rediscovering cigars.

Now, after that much time, I never feel any even slight temptation to inhale or start smoking cigs again.

The ironic thing, when I quit smoking cigarettes, I lost a relaxation ritual and my wife was the first to point out that I couldn't still for long. If we went out for coffeee or drinks, I'd finish my drink and I'd be ready to go! Now she gets pissed because when I light up she knows I am not going anywhere for a good hour or so.


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## Lifting and Smoking (Jul 5, 2013)

Lifting and Smoking said:


> I like this line of thinking. I'm in the process of completely quitting cigarettes and I plan on doing so by replacing the cigarettes with cigarillos and eventually weening off altogether tobacco during the regular workweek day so I can really have a "great unwind" in the evening with a nice cigar.


Epicly failed on this attempt at quitting cigarettes. It's such a hard habit to break! Smoking a cigarette is so good, especially after working out and first thing in the morning.


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## DBragg (Jun 13, 2013)

Lrbergin said:


> I agree. Inhaling is just a natural thing to do for a cigarette smoker and it hits you like ton of bricks with a cigar.
> 
> Not a good idea to transition to cigars immediately in my opinion. He needs to kick his nicotine habit before he considers smoking cigars.


Agree.

I smoked for about a decade and quit in 99. There was a 5 year span of no tobacco at all, and then I occasionally smoked a backwoods (hahaha ya i know). By occasionally, I mean about two a year. About a year, or year and a half ago, a buddy handed me an RP on a camping trip and now I enjoy an occasional premium smoke.

I never would have been able to kick the cigarettes by smoking cigars. I needed the separation from the nicotine and would have not learned to manage my cravings with repeated exposure.

If your friend wants to quit smoking, he needs to quit smoking.


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## Sabre One (Jul 3, 2013)

RJ-Harder said:


> So I know there have been similar threads to this, but I want to start a new one to accommodate the specific situation I'm trying to help out with.
> 
> My buddy is currently smoking cigarettes. I'm not sure how many, but definitely less than a pack a day. He (and especially his wife) wants him to quit. I've shared a couple cigars with him, and he expressed interest in switching to a casual cigar smoker like myself rather than being a regular cigarette smoker. Currently he inhales his cigars, whereas I do not. Has anybody else had any success with making the switch from a regular inhaling cigarette smoker to a casual non-inhaling cigar smoker? Do the cigars actually help with the process of giving up cigarettes...? Or is giving up cigarettes just as hard with or without the cigars?


Yes, but for me it took three years after quitting everything. Inhaling is an entrenched part of the smoking habit. For me, the cigarette smoking habit behavior and cravings had to be completely eradicated before I could enjoy a cigar without inhaling.

I tried smoking cigars, pipe, and you name it while quitting as a substitute for cigarettes. None of it ever worked. For me, after vaping for a few weeks I just quit it ALL. After several months, the addiction subsided. After a year or two, the 'fear of smoking again' went away and I started feeling truly like a non-smoker. Now, after all that time, I enjoy cigars every day and never inhale or feel tempted to have a cigarette.

That's my story at least.


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## Lifting and Smoking (Jul 5, 2013)

Just wanted to bump this thread with an update. It's been four days since I had my last cigarette. Monday was the hardest. For nearly a decade, as soon as I wake up, I would almost always light up a cigarette, so getting past this point was truly the hardest. I truly believe I can quit cigarettes for good this time. Will keep you guys posted next month with another update.


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

Awesomeness.
Im still lighting up within an hour of getting up, its just a nice mild-medium Connecticut instead of a Marlboro light. Im pretty much down to two sticks a day during the week and 3 a day on weekends. Its been just over two months cigarette free for me. First time I ever made it this far and I was on cigs for over 30 years! Best I did before was 2 weeks and got so irritable I didn't even want to be around myself! The cravings still come, especially if I have an adult beverage. Good thing I dont drink much these days! When I do its usually with a stick.


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## Lifting and Smoking (Jul 5, 2013)

JustinThyme said:


> Awesomeness.
> Im still lighting up within an hour of getting up, its just a nice mild-medium Connecticut instead of a Marlboro light. Im pretty much down to two sticks a day during the week and 3 a day on weekends. Its been just over two months cigarette free for me. First time I ever made it this far and I was on cigs for over 30 years! Best I did before was 2 weeks and got so irritable I didn't even want to be around myself! The cravings still come, especially if I have an adult beverage. Good thing I dont drink much these days! When I do its usually with a stick.


That's awesome! Kudos to us and hopefully we're off it for good. I'm rooting for both of us!


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

I see a lot of folks post that it wont work. Ive tried just about every other method and no dice. I even tried the Chantix and when they said vivid or unusual dreams as a side effect they weren't kidding! I was getting no sleep because of it and just a sample of the weird dreams I had..........Woke up after only being asleep for an hour at 4am from the dream I was having. It was so vivid and real, I was a lawn sprinkler! I woke up the wifey too, she asked me what in the hell I was doing before I said what I was dreaming she told me I was thrashing about in the bed and resembled the motions of a lawn sprinkler. Scared the hell out of the dog too! That was day 3 of taking it and I didn't take anymore!

What made the idea of using cigars to get off of cigarettes was going back in time to days spent with my Grandfather as a kid. He smoked cigarettes right about until he was my age, he quit cigarettes smoking cigars. He went from 2 packs a day of lucky strike non filters to none in the matter of 1 day. I still had half a carton left and was a pack a day smoker. Picking up more cigars cut the consumption of cigarettes in half right out of the gate and slowly less and less. When they were gone 2 weeks later and I was down to like 2-3 cigarettes a day that was it, didnt buy anymore.


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## Xspenceve (Jun 23, 2013)

I used smokeless tobacco for 9 years almost 3 cans a day and I used cigars to quit. It's been a year and 3 months since I've had a dip and don't plan on ever having one again. I always felt like I needed the dip, I never feel that way with cigars. I will go several days without smoking one. Problem is my cigar hobby cost significantly more than my dip habit lol.


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## Fliehigh (Aug 6, 2013)

I have been 7 years off of cigarettes but I had to stop all smoking for almost 6 months before I could pick up a cigar. I will admit that I do inhale at times (I must have iron lungs) but I can enjoy any cigar without inhaling as well.


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## Greg58 (May 30, 2013)

I even tried the Chantix and when they said vivid or unusual dreams as a side effect they weren't kidding! I was getting no sleep because of it and just a sample of the weird dreams I had..........Woke up after only being asleep for an hour at 4am from the dream I was having. It was so vivid and real, I was a lawn sprinkler! I woke up the wifey too, she asked me what in the hell I was doing before I said what I was dreaming she told me I was thrashing about in the bed and resembled the motions of a lawn sprinkler. Scared the hell out of the dog too! That was day 3 of taking it and I didn't take anymore!

Now that made me laugh and if it were me having that dream I might of gone all the way with the sprinkler thing and got the whole bed wet!
My doctor wanted me to try chantix but I refused, now maybe that was a good plan huh? 
I am struggling to quite the cigs but after 35 years it is the toughest thing I have ever tried. Trying to substitute my evening ritual with a cigar on the patio instead of cigs, kind of working, trying real hard!!!


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

I still fight with the urge, but If I get a kick start in the morning with a mild stogie it wards it off for several hours. The hardest part for my daily routine is after dinner. Its been a 30 year habit of finishing dinner and lighting a cigarette. Now I just put it off as long as I can then light up a nice full bodied stick and thats it for the day. I sneak in another on weekends when Im not busy. Staying busy with something to do constantly also helps.


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## Cigars&GTRs (Jul 21, 2013)

I was a cigarette smoker for about 8 years and went through the irritating process of quitting. After about 6 months of being off cigarettes I started smoking the periodic cigar but it did not result in cravings anymore, in fact I now find the smell of cigarette smoke repulsive, which for anyone who has recently quit is mind boggling. 

It should be noted that this doesnt work for everyone. One of my friends that I used to smoke cigars with was an occasional smoker. He would quit smoking and be off it for an extended period then have the periodic cigar. He would start not inhaling it, then inhale just a bit, then inhale a lot, then he would be back on cigarettes again. This happened a couple of times. He had to look at himself and understand how he managed things as a person and realized that he couldnt have any form of tobacco. He has been off tobacco entirely for around 2 years now.

Unfortunately this meant that I lost a cigar buddy but if that is what it takes for him to be off cigarettes then you have to let it go. You can still be friends, you just do different things together.


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## Lifting and Smoking (Jul 5, 2013)

Lifting and Smoking said:


> Just wanted to bump this thread with an update. It's been four days since I had my last cigarette. Monday was the hardest. For nearly a decade, as soon as I wake up, I would almost always light up a cigarette, so getting past this point was truly the hardest. I truly believe I can quit cigarettes for good this time. Will keep you guys posted next month with another update.


I just wanted to say I've been cigarette-free for slightly over a month. It seems I'm going to able to quit cigarettes for good. I'll give another update another 2 months from now.


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## paulb1970 (Mar 25, 2013)

I quit smoking back in 2002 after having smoked for a decade. It took me a whole year to quit cold turkey. I'd buy them, throw em in the trash, then go back in the trash scrounging for that dang pack. It's hard as a mother to quit but it can be done. One day at a time always sounds cliche "ish" but that's the thought process that helped me.

I guess cigar smoking could maybe ward off the the cravings but I was tobacco free for 10 yrs after quitting cigs before I grew interested in cigars.

Good luck with the cigarette quitting!..............it's a hard one to do but it's possible.


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## Lifting and Smoking (Jul 5, 2013)

paulb1970 said:


> I quit smoking back in 2002 after having smoked for a decade. It took me a whole year to quit cold turkey. I'd buy them, throw em in the trash, then go back in the trash scrounging for that dang pack. It's hard as a mother to quit but it can be done. One day at a time always sounds cliche "ish" but that's the thought process that helped me.
> 
> I guess cigar smoking could maybe ward off the the cravings but I was tobacco free for 10 yrs after quitting cigs before I grew interested in cigars.
> 
> Good luck with the cigarette quitting!..............it's a hard one to do but it's possible.


Thanks Paul.


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## The invisible man (Dec 18, 2012)

Cigarettes are bad news man, I think cigars are a great replacement for them.


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## CigarN (May 24, 2016)

*Cigars instead of Cigs*

I too am quitting the cig habbit, on day number 4 now. I've been vaping some, using nic gum and using cigars. I was a pack and a half to 2 pack smoker for 30 years. I know the best thing is to get off nicotine altogether, but I've never been able to do that.

I use big ring premium cigars medium/full body, not temped to inhale that smoke. 1 at night kills my cravings for cigs. I plan on dropping the vaping, after a few more weeks of no cigs, then drop the gum a few weeks after that. I may or may not give up cigars, i do enjoy smoking and having a good drink and cigar break for an hour or so after work, is really nice.

I'll try to update and let you know if my plan works out.


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